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From: dietz@SLB-DOLL.CSNET (Paul Dietz)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Orbital Mechanics Question
Message-ID: <8512180202.AA21198@s1-b.arpa>
Date: Tue, 17-Dec-85 19:44:06 EST
Article-I.D.: s1-b.8512180202.AA21198
Posted: Tue Dec 17 19:44:06 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 19-Dec-85 04:49:20 EST
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Organization: The ARPA Internet
Lines: 14

The minimum velocity change needed to get from Mars orbit to an ellipse
with perihelion at earth orbit is about 2.7 km/sec.  Launched from Mars,
however, this orbit will reach Earth only once every year or so
(if launched at other times it will miss).  My question is: what is the
minimum velocity change needed to get from Mars orbit to an orbit that
intersects Earth, independent of the planets' relative positions?  Ignore
velocity needed to escape from Mars, and assume the vehicle must intersect
the Earth within one orbit.

I don't know the answer to this one; I would really appreciate a
solution or a pointer to a solution.

Paul Dietz
dietz%slb-doll@csnet-relay